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I read Infinite Jest for the first time this year, and it's incredible. I recognise at the same time it's not for everyone, but the story, writing style, humor and sheer specific knowledge on so many subjects employed in this book are incredible.



It's one of my long-time goals to read this book. I read the first few chapters and it was amazing, but sadly life intervened and I couldn't continue.

I'm curious - did you read it on its own, or did you read some kind of resource along with it? I've seen recommendations to read it alongside websites/books that help understand it.


I read it on its own, on an ebook reader where the annotations don't work (bad android app). Generally I only have to look up the occasional word or two to get some of the word jokes (my favourite being "[making his exam by] a single dento-dermal layer", meaning "the skin of his teeth")

I am reminded of the foreword, the author of which I forget, who said that it clearly isn't a breeze to read, you have to put in actual effort to understand the damn sentences. This is totally true, if I let my mind wander as with any other book, I have to go back and re-read it.


I also read it this year (as part of a book club) - one thing I’d note is I was very pleasantly surprised at how well the footnotes worked in the ebook. I had made an attempt with a hardcopy about ten years ago and found juggling two bookmarks a major pain. It’s not without its flaws but well worth the effort to read, and once I got properly going I didn’t find it difficult or a drag at all.




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